What's the Right Job for Me?

It starts as a passing irritation when your mom tells you that cousin Jamie got promoted to manager at work. Then it grows into an all-consuming, "what is my purpose in life" bummer fest when you hear that Michelle in marketing is leaving for a dream job at Evernote for double the pay and free house cleanings (including dishes and laundry!).

You can admit to yourself that you're not happy with your job, that it's time to move on. But you haven’t done anything about it yet. Why? Probably because:

I have no idea where to begin

I don't know what the right thing is

I don't feel like I have any options

I'm interested in too many things

I'm lucky to have any job

What if I don't have the skills and experience to get a better job?

What if I make the wrong choice and have to move back in with my parents?

I don't have the time to look for a new job

The thing is... every day you wait is another day you're miserable—at work and in life.

The kicker is...

YOUR EXCITED-TO-GO-TO-WORK-ON-A-MONDAY JOB IS ALREADY OUT THERE AND IT'S WAITING FOR YOU TO FIND IT.

Jobs are not like soul mates: there isn't just one job in the world that's right for you. In fact, there are many jobs out there, right now, where you could be happy. According to the Self-Determination Theory (HT Cal Newport and science), you need three things to be happy at work:

Autonomy - "the feeling that you have control over your day, and that your actions are important."

Competence - "the feeling that you are good at what you do."

Relatedness - "the feeling of connection to other people."

So finding the right job for you isn't about finding the job. It's about finding a job where you're good at what you do at a company that gives you flexibility and great co-workers.

How I found a job I loved (Doing something I hadn't known existed)

What the hell is project scoping?

After a year in a customer support role, I was anxious to move into a new position. I didn't hate my job. I actually enjoyed most things about it. But my husband and I had recently bought a house, and it turned my commute into a two-hour life-suck each day. So while I wanted to move into a position where I could take on new challenges, I also wanted something that would give me a more flexible schedule.

That was when my manager recommended that I speak to the director of the project scoping team. The team was nowhere on my radar. I had no idea what they did or why it mattered. But as it turned out, it was the perfect job for me.

Taking the skills I'd developed in my support role, I would be able to bring immediate value to the scoping team (who helped prospects understand the effort needed to implement our product). That meant I'd also get to learn a new set of skills to add to my arsenal. Plus, the team was full of amazing people, I got a 20% pay bump, and—cherry on top—I got to work from home!

If I had started my job search by looking at what I was passionate about or by looking only for specific job titles, I never would have found that job.

Finding a Job you Love

Now it's time for you to figure out what jobs you'd enjoy. Below you'll find a step-by-step action plan that will walk you through the process of finding your own "dream job."

Let yourself have fun with this process. This is all about you trying on the different jobs that interest you—even if they seem crazy or impossible to get. You might be surprised by what IS possible once you have more information.

SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS

Grab a pen and paper or open up your go-to note taking app.

Eliminate distractions. Put your phone on silent and in another room. Close your Facebook and Netflix tabs. You know what distracts you. Get rid of it!

If at any point you need a little kick-in-the-ass to keep you going, go here.

Your Action Plan

Click on each action below to get step-by-step instructions.

1. Make a list of the jobs you think you'd be happy doing

Start your list with the jobs that you've been considering lately. The ones that you keep coming back to. Then expand the list to include any and every other job that interests you. Why? Because an Indian dude says so. #kiddingnotkidding

Ramit Sethi of I Will Teach You to Be Rich has helped thousands of his Dream Job students use the Window Shopping Technique to narrow down their dream job. It starts with a broad list, so you can "say 'Yes' to EVERYTHING you’re curious about instead of constantly saying 'No, I can’t do that because…'" It's all about nipping "what if?" in the giant bud.

If you're curious about what other jobs are out there that you can add to your list, use LinkedIn's search. As Ramit recommends, you can use keywords to search for jobs by the skills you have (or you want to have).

Use Google to find general info about the jobs you're interested in. Ramit recommends searching for “introduction to [INSERT JOB].” Based on what you find, you may or may not remove any jobs from your list. No worries if you don't.

You're going to dig a little deeper. You're going to start searching for those details that are important to you. For example, you might start by looking at what the pay is for this job. Money might not be everything in a dream job, but you have bills to pay and no one likes to feel undervalued. Here are some other areas Ramit suggests you look into:

How many hours per week will you work?

What's the long-term outlook for this job?

What will a typical day look like for you?

Will you need to travel for this job?

What type of experience will you need for this job?

What skills will set you apart in this job?

What blogs/books/websites do people in this job follow to stay "in the know?"

The last step in Ramit's Window Shopping Technique is to use informational interviews (coffee meetings, natural networking, etc) to learn what it's really like to do the jobs you're interested in.

This is the step most people skip, but you're not going to skip it.

Because while it may take you out of your comfort zone to reach out to strangers, it's an opportunity for you to take control of finding your own dream job. And like Ramit points out:

THIS IS NOT WEIRD. What’s weird is a bunch of people mindlessly submitting resumes to jobs they don’t know anything about and then wondering why they don’t do what they love.

Don't be like 99% of people who will skip this step and hope/pray/wish for the right job to find them. You don't need a miracle or a fairy godmother. You can get your own damn dream job. Which means doing what most people won't, so you can have what most people don't.

Now use the steps and template below to setup an informational interview or two (or ten!).

Go to LinkedIn and search for people doing the job you're interested in.

Tip: If you don't have any 1st or 2nd degree connections that have the job you're interested in, go to the Groups section of LinkedIn (Main Navigation > Interests > Groups). Search for groups related to the position you're looking for and join a few. This will give you access to message anyone in those groups.

Send them a message, using the template below, to request some time to chat:

Subject: Your Amazing Technical Wizardry

Hi John,

I was fascinated by your latest article on Inc.com about creating a computer program that helps solve global food system issues. As an advocate for the investment in food technology, I think the work you're doing is essential to the long-term growth and prosperity of third-world nations. [This covers how you know them and what you find interesting about them, which builds rapport. If their LinkedIn profile doesn't give you anything to add in this section, do some Google research so you have something appropriate to say here.]

I would love to learn more about what it is like working with investors in the food technology industry. [This covers specifically what information you're interested in learning from them, which shows them that you're not wasting their time.] Can I take you out for coffee at a date and time of your choosing? Or maybe a quick 20-minute chat over the phone? [This is where you make your request to meet. You make it easier for them to say yes by only asking for a small amount of their time and giving them options.]

I understand that you may get requests like this all the time and that you can't say yes to everyone, but I do hope you will consider it. [This removes any pressure or uneasiness they might feel.]

I look forward to hearing back from you and reading more of your articles on Inc.com.

Best,
Jane

There is no telling how many people you will speak with before you find the job that clicks for you. This is a process and not a checklist you complete before someone hands you your perfect job. So don't give up if you don't find the job for you on your first try. Giving up means continuing to hope that your next job won't suck, won't make you miserable. And you already know how that usually turns out.

If you find yourself looking for some extra motivation during this step, then go here now and then get back to it!

4. Find companies that will give you what you need

First off, congratulations!

If you've made it this far, then you know what jobs you'll actually enjoy doing. You've also done things that most people don't in the search for their dream jobs. Which is why you're so much closer to yours.

Still there is one piece missing in the dream job puzzle: the company with the work environment you need.

To recap, Cal Newport and science were nice enough to point out that finding work you enjoy includes working for a company that gives you flexibility and some awesome co-workers.

Your next step could be to go back to Google and do some research on companies you're interested in. You could check their Glassdoor reviews or see what their employees say about them on social media. But the best way to get true insights into what it's like to work at a particular company is to talk to their employees.

The same way you used informational interviews to see what it is really like to do a certain job, you'll use informational interviews to find out what your potential-future-company is really like. Make sense? Then go get your detective on!

Since you already know what job(s) you'd like to pursue, you can use that to start your list of companies.

Go to LinkedIn and search for openings for the job you want. With a basic LinkedIn account, you can narrow down the list of openings (and companies) using the filters on the left. Those include location, date posted, job function, industry, and experience level.

Then go through the list and make a note of the companies with job postings that are in-line with the work you'd like to do. Make a list of at least 10 companies.

Once you have your list, start with the first company and look at their company page on LinkedIn. You can get there by clicking on the company's name. On the right-hand side, you will see how many of their employees are on LinkedIn. Click on the "See all" link to see the full list of their employees.

Now search the employee list for people with the position you want. Depending on the size of the company, there may not be someone with that position already at the company. In that case, choose someone who'd be in the same department or area of the company. If it's a small company (less than 50 people or so), then speaking with anyone there is likely to give you a good idea of the culture.

As you might have guessed, the next step is to reach out to the employee. You can use the same template as before to request an informational interview. The main difference this time is that your questions will be focused on learning more about the company culture. Here are some questions you might consider asking during your chat (HT 99u and Levo League):

What do you think about the company?

Has anyone hired recently not worked out? Why not?

How would your boss feel about you taking risks and experimenting with new processes, if the work results showed up and improved over time?

What do you most like about working here?

What’s the organization’s management style?

What’s the team culture like?

Keep interviewing employees until you find at least 5 companies that have cultures that fit your needs. Why at least 5? Because you may need to interview at multiple companies before you land the job you want. So please don't put all your hard-earned eggs in one basket.

Tip: Often the best way to get an unbiased idea of the culture of a company is to speak with a former employee. They don't have to worry about saying the wrong thing and feel more comfortable opening up. If you want to take advantage of that, LinkedIn search lets you filter for past employees.

Just like with finding the jobs that fit you, there is no telling how many people you will speak with before you find the company that clicks for you. Remember, this is a process for finding the job where YOU will be happy. That means you can't go buy it on Amazon or expect your mom to give it to you for Christmas.

You have to put in the work to find what will fit you best. But it's worth it if it means:

not having to spend another hour of your time bitching about your self-involved (yet overbearing) boss

waking up excited to go to work, even on rainy mornings when everyone forgets how to drive

leaving work at the end of the day feeling good about yourself and taking THAT feeling home with you

If you're looking for more in-depth help on getting the most out of your informational interview, check out this guide here.

So if you find yourself needing an extra push, then go here now. Because you deserve to do work you enjoy and waiting around for it isn't going to cut it.

The Price of Doing Nothing

Looking for a job is hard. You scour Indeed.com for any job that sounds remotely within your skill set. You send dozens, if not hundreds, of resumes to companies you don't know. You spend months waiting and waiting for someone (anyone!) to respond to you; preferably with an interview request.

Eventually, after an awkward interview, you land a job somewhere. At first, you don't complain too much because you finally have a job! You can now pay your bills and stop asking your parents for money. Then you start noticing how Steven in business dev keeps getting promoted (while stealing the last donut every morning). It starts to irk you every time your boss calls for a "meeting" only to rattle on for an hour about the same old things.

Slowly, what use to be a long day at work turns into a daily battle not to punch your manager in the face as you yell "I quit!" while walking out the door.

But if you do that, you'd be back to looking for a job. You'd be back to asking your parents to help with your student loan payment. You'd feel better for about an hour (even as your hand throbs) before you realize how badly you needed that job. Which is why you don't punch your manager and you accept that you hate your job.

Looking for a job is hard, but fighting daily to keep yourself from imploding with misery and rage is worse. So you could keep looking for a job by papering the internet with your resume. Or you can work through the action plan above, which is hard, but won't result in you wanting to strangle or maim anyone.

By focusing on finding work you enjoy, you risk talking to a lot of strangers, but you won't risk setting yourself up for a life of hating your job.

And you deserve to enjoy your work. You deserve to come home feeling tired but good about what you accomplished.